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Q: What inspired you to start writing?
I started creative writing in high school, and by college, my English professors were telling me that if I didn't pursue a career in writing, that I'd be missing my true calling. Well, I didn't listen, even though I love writing, and I had to pursue the almighty dollar first.
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Q: Can you tell us a little about your latest book?
The Maisie Farnborough series is about a girl who is trafficked from the age of five. What nobody knows, is exactly how smart she is! She's secretly dumpster-diving at night any time she's left alone, finding textbooks at the high school, and all kinds of books and magazines from other people's trash. She learns chemistry, algebra, physics - and her favorite - neopolitan magazines of the rich and famous, travel, food, and botanics. She never seems to forget anything she learns. She will use her smarts, her furious determination, and her amazing will to love those around her, to escape the evil monsters that have held her under lock and key. It's a wild ride!!
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Q: How do you create your characters?
They just come to me. Isn't that strange? I've never based a character, yet, off of someone that I know personally. I tend to see the good in everybody, so I have more difficulty with the character traits of my villains! ha ha!
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Q: What does your typical writing day look like?
I can't stay away from it - even when I have a ton of other things that I should be doing. A few minutes ago, I was shopping, and I'd realized that I need to start a new series about some personal experiences in my own life. That will be a new adventure for me - fictionalizing some of my own stories. I think it needs to be done, however, because I believe that many people are completely unaware of what goes on right under their noses.
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Q: What has been the most rewarding part of being an indie author?
Me laughing or crying at 2am as I'm working on a chapter, and the emotion is just getting the best of me. I really put my own heart and soul into my writing, and it affects me emotionally all the time. I only hope my readers will get as much out of it as I do!
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Q: What’s one challenge you’ve faced in your writing journey?
Definitely the publishing aspect. It's not easy. Oh, sure, uploading your manuscript is just the click of a button, however, getting people to see your book - and take a chance on you - is much more difficult. It's been a journey of more tears than anything as far as the publishing goes!
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Q: Do you have any favorite writing tools or apps?
I use LibreOffice Writer - it's my go-to and my favorite. Old fashioned writing. I still have to look up words, occasionally, or synonyms, etc., but it's all good. Since I've started this journey, I've seen some formatting apps that are recommended, but I've not looked at them yet.
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Q: What advice would you give to new or aspiring indie authors?
I might need you to give me advice! I guess, one thing, may be, not to get into a hurry. Some things take time. I spent almost two years writing my first book, but I've already completed a good portion of Book 2 of this series - and the hook at the end of it, for Book 3 - and I think that hook will get you!
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Q: How do you handle book promotion as an indie author?
I'm spending much of my days promoting my book on social media - where allowed. I'm surprised at how many places absolutely forbid self-promotion, and I get it - because some people don't know when to stop, and they spam the sites. So those authors with much less... umm... morality, are causing problems for the people who would be very respectful.
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Q: What’s next for you? Are you working on a new book?
Book 2 of this series is well underway, and I've already got notes for Book 3.
Then, I plan to start a new series with fictionalized accounts of some of my own life experiences.
One thing that may or may be interesting to my readers, is that approximately 75% of the "spice" was removed from this series, which involved several romantic lesbian relationships. My mentors thought it was too much, and would cause the books to be considered erotic novels. However, I tend to write fictionalized non-fiction. The relationships that I write about are realistic, and true-to-form. Not everyone is "vanilla", and I'm so thankful for that!
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Q: Have you ever been recognized in public, as an author?
Ha, no! I'm as unknown as they come! I can still recommend my own books to people who have no idea that I write.
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Q: You said in a blog that you were single and not looking. What does that mean?
Ha! I don't think even I know that! I'm happy where I'm at. I've been there and done that! If someone comes along that I want to spend time with - I'm all for that. I'm not ready to put a name on a relationship again, if that makes any sense. And, I'm so far from "vanilla" that it's barely visible from where I'm standing, and I'm okay with that, too!
